While there are various types of loading mechanisms that have been developed for aiding in the loading and unloading of a boat from a trailer, boat centering guide post become universally accepted. Before the use of the self centering guides, any size boat could be difficult to load and unload due to current, cross winds, and single person operations. The situation is compounded with longer boats where the length of the boat could make it nearly impossible to control during certain situations if guide posts were not available.
The conventional boat centering guide post is positioned at the outmost side of a trailer to prevent lateral movement of a boat during the loading and unloading process. For instance, should a boat operator attempt to load a boat in a cross current or wind, the boat can be pushed against the guide post wherein the guide post will flex but otherwise cause the boat to be centered on the trailer.
In operation, the boat loading process requires the operator of the boat to either float the boat onto the trailer or hook a winch line from the trailer to the bow of a boat to be loaded. In either event, the propulsion system of the boat is either shut down or becomes ineffective at such slow speed wherein any wind or current could move the transom of the boat but for the positioning of the centering guide posts. The majority of the boat trailer is typically submerged during this process and the boat is literally floated on to the trailer with the center guide posts positioning the boat over the trailer bunks. When the trailer is pulled from the water, hopefully the boat is aligned to the trailer as provided by the guide posts.
While the boat centering guides have made boat loading and unloading an effortless process, the ease of use has led to the transporting of even larger boats which results in another problem in which this invention addresses.
One of the problems arise in the ability to view the trailer operating lights whenever a boat is on a trailer. Trailering of a boat necessitates proper lighting for the safety of those following the boat trailer as well as for the safety of the boat and trailer. The difficulty in viewing of the trailer lighting is proportionately enhanced when a larger boat is transported. The self centering guide posts are typically mounted near the trailer wheels since the wheel location must be the outermost position of the boat trailer to provide the necessary boat stability during transport. The lights may also be mounted to the trailer along the outermost area, which typically results in the placement near the wheel location.
By way of example, driving at night posses unique dangers to those following a boat since the trailer lights may be blocked from view should the boat extend any distance past the rear of the trailer. Thus, the operator of an automobile traveling behind the trailered boat may only see one side of the trailer lights. If the operator of an automobile traveling behind the trailer boat is driving close to the boat, both side lights obscured. Unfortunately, if the boat being trailered includes multiple outboard engines, inboard/outboard engines, or is a longer boat then the conventional lights mounted on the trailer would be obscured from most every position when viewed from the rear of the trailer.
While the centering guide posts provide a tremendous improvement in the safe loading and unloading boats, the ease of operation has resulted in the consuming public transporting boats more frequently and, of larger boats, placing the driving public at risk when the boat trailer lights cannot be seen.
Various inventors have recognized the need for providing lighting on or near the rear of a trailered boat. U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,022 discloses a portable set of boat trailer light assemblies; this disclosure requires fishing pole holes in order to support the light. U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,859 discloses a boat light having resiliently flexible and adjustable mounts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,163 discloses a boat light for use in transom mounting. U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,121 discloses a sealed tail light for a boat trailer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,591 discloses an attachable auxiliary vehicle lighting system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,050 discloses a typical boat guide assembly that is used on a boat trailer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,217 discloses yet another boat trailer centering device as does U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,768. It should be noted on each of these boat trailer guides that the guide assemblies are located on the outermost portion of the boat trailer typically adjacent to the boat trailer wheel assembly.
Design Pat. No. 351,115 illustrates a guide post with a raised indicator light. This device assists the operator of the towing vessel to determine trailer position when the trailer is submerged.
Thus, what is lacking in the art is a light assembly that replicates the lighting functions of the towing vehicle to provide an enhanced level of safety to the driving public and the owner of the boat.